Sectional ironing board



Jan. 3, 1956 E. E. FOSTER SECTIONAL IRONING BOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 9, 1952 INVENTOR. lzfwk 6954:? m W 7% ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 3, 1956 E. E. FOSTER SECTIONAL IRONING BOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1952 ATTORNEYS.

SECTIONAL IRONING BOARD Edwin E. Foster, Austin, Tex.

Application August 9, 1952, Serial No. 383,473

4 Claims. (Cl. 38-139) This invention relates to ironing boards and more particularly to boards for use in hand ironing.

In hand ironing relatively large articles, such as sheets, table cloths and the like, it is highly desirable to have a relatively large substantially rectangular ironing surface over which the articles can be moved progressively as they are ironed. On the other hand, in ironing small articles and particularly tubular or irregular articles such as skirts, sleeves, shoulders or garments and the like, it is desirable to have a relatively small tapered board over the end of which the articles can be slipped or fitted for ironing. v

in attempting to answer these conflicting requirements, it has been the usual practice heretofore to pro vide a large board tapered at one end to a relatively narrow width or to use a separate sleeve board. The use of separate boards is awkward and causes a loss of time in changing from one board to the other. Boards with tapered ends are difficult to use on large objects because the effective ironing surface is limited to the width of the narrow end and the articles can not move uniformly over the board, since its sides are not parallel.

It has also been proposed to provide boards having hinged sections therein to swing out of the way and leave a relatively narrow remaining section for use as a sleeve board. Such constructions have required either that the sections be separately covered, which is not satisfactory because there will be creases or gaps in the covering when the sections are used together or that the covering be removed when the hinged section is to be swung out of the way.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an ironing board which provides a relatively large rectangular surface for ironing large or flat articles and a relatively narrow tapered end for small irregular or tubular articles.

Another object is to provide an ironing board in which a corner portion of the board is hinged to the remainder thereof alonga straight line at an acute angle to the board length to swing to an extended position in a plane with the board or to a folded position under and substantially parallel to the plane of the board.

According to one feature of the invention, folding of the corner portion is along a straight line so that a unitary covering can be employed which provides a smooth continuous ironing surface when the corner portion is in its extended position and which can fold with the corner portion to its folded position.

A further object is to provide an ironing board in which the foldable corner portion is securely latched in both its extended and folded positions.

According to one feature of this construction the latch includes a latch bar extending across the hinge line and latched at its center to the bottom of the board for maximum strength and rigidity, and an actuating plate is provided for the first latch which carries a second latch to hold the corner portion in its folded position. Prefer- 2,729,005 Patented Jan. 3, 1956 ably a spring is provided urging the corner portion to its extended position to facilitate handling.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be more readily apparent when viewed in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view on an ironing board embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a partial bottom view of the board,

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the parts in folded position, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism.

The board as illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a frame having parallel top bars 16 supported in spaced apart relation on U-shaped legs 11. The legs are preferably pivoted to the side bars 16 to be folded to a parallel position underlying the bars for storage of the unit.

The side bars 10 support an ironing board 12 adjacent to one end thereof with the board extending as a cantilever toward the opposite end of the-side bars so that the sides and bottom of the board are free for articles to be slipped over it. The board may be formed in any desired manner, of metal, wood, composition material or the like, but is illustrated as formed of a pair of fiat composition boards connected in spaced apart relation by spacer blocks or strips 13 as best seen in Figures 3 and 4. Preferably the board 12 is perforated for escape of steam therethrough although this is not essential. The board is rigidly mounted at one end on the supporting frame by supporting blocks or strips 14 so that it is at all times rigid with the frame.

The board 12 is of generally rectangular shape with parallel sides throughout the major portion of its length and is cut olf at one corner along a line 15 lying at an acute angle to the center line of the board. The board is completed by a corner portion 16 which is adapted to lie in the plane of the board and to form a continuation of the board such that the sides thereof are straight and parallel throughout the full board length. Preferably, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the corner portion 16 is of less thickness than the remainder of the board and the main portion of the board is cut off to half thickness along a line 17 as seen in Figure 2 to provide an area adjacent the corner portion of substantially the same size as the corner portion and of reduced thickness.

The corner portion 16 is hinged to the remainder of the board by an elongated straight hinge 18 extending along and parallel to the cut-oil line 15. Preferably the hinge 18 is carried by metal plates 19 and 21 secured respectively to and reinforcing the reduced thickness portions or the board. The plate 19 is secured to the thin corner portion of the board itself, while the plate 21 is similarly secured to and reinforces the folding corner portion 16.

v To hold the folding corner portion 16 in either an extended position as shown in Figures 1 to 3 in the plane of the board or in a folded position as shown in Figure 4, a latch mechanism is provided. This latch mechanism comprises an elongated latch bar 22 extending across the hinge 18 at right angles thereto and carrying at one end a pin slidable in an elongated track member 23 which is secured to the plate 19. The track member may be formed by two offset strips secured to the plate 19 by welding or the like to provide an open channel in which the latch bar 22 can slide and which will hold the end of the latch bar adjacent to the under surface of the board 12 while permitting longitudinal sliding thereof. At its opposite end the latch bar 22 is pivoted to a bracket 24 carried by the plate 21 beneath the corner portion 16. At its center the bar 22 is formed with a latch extension 25 terminating in a hook portion to engage a latch bar.

The hook portion 25 is adapted to be engaged by a pivoted bar 26 in the form of a bell crank lever pivoted on a vertical axison the plate 19 adjacent to the hinge 18. One end of the lever 26 is swingable toward and away from the hook portion 25 and the opposite end thereof is connected through a sliding joint to a latch plate 27 pivoted on the plate 19'. As best seen in Figure 2 the latch plate 27 is pivoted at 28 and is urged in a counterclockwise direction by a coil spring 29. In its normal position as shown in full lines in Figure 2 the latch plate swings the lever 26 clockwise to engage the hook portion 25 and hold the center of the latch bar 22 closely adjacent to the bottom surface of the board as shown in Figures 2 and 3. At this time the latch bar extends across the hinge 18 and is secured at three spaced points in its length to the board and the hinged corner portion to hold the corner portion rigidly and securely in its extended position in the plane of the board. Preferably a spring 31 is provided at the pivotal connection of the latch bar to the bracket 24 to urge the corner portion upward to its extended position.

To release the latch the latch plate 27 is swung clockwise through an extension 32 thereon which can easily be engaged by the fingers of a user beneath the corner portion of the board. When the latch plate is so swung the lever 26 will release the extension 25 and the corner portion can be folded manually about the hinge 18 to the folded position shown in Figure 4 beneath and substantially parallel to the board. To hold the corner portion in this position a latch member 33 is provided on the bottom of the corner portion to engage with a complementary latch member 34 on the latch plate 27. When the corner portion is folded and the plate 27 released, the latch members 33 and 34 will engage to hold the corner portion in its folded position. By rocking the latch plate 27 clockwise the latch members 33 and 34 will release allowing the spring 31 to swing the hinged corner portion back to its extended position.

With this construction a unitary pad as shown at 35 in Figures 3 and 4 can be placed over the entire ironing board and secured thereon by a cover 36 extending over the edges of the board and tightened by a drawcord 37 in the usual manner. Preferably the pad is secured to the main part of the board by fastening means such as cement, staples or the like separate from the cover to prevent sliding but is loose over the corner portion except as secured thereto by the cover for the small amount of sliding required in folding the corner portion.

To prevent pinching of the pad when the corner portion is extended and to minimize movement of the cover during folding of the corner portion, the hinge 18 is preferably positioned flush with the upper surface of the board. In an all metal board this can be accomplished by forming the hinge integral with the board and flush with the surface thereof. In a composition board as shown, the top sheet is cut off along lines spaced from the line of separation 15 and the hinge plates 19 and 21 are offset upwardly as indicated at 19a and 21a to bring their upper surfaces flush with the surface of the board 12 and corner portion 16. The hinge 18 also lies flush with the board surface so that the pad cannot be pinched during folding and so that sliding movement of the pad is minimized.

When the board is extended, the board surface, the

pad and cover provide a continuous smooth rectangular surface on which relatively large or flat articles can easily be ironed and over which large articles can be moved uniformly and easily. When it is desired to iron relatively small or irregular objects, the latch can be released and the corner portion 16 can be folded under as shown in Figure 4. Due to the fact that the hinge 18 is on a straight line and is flush with the surface of; the, board the corner portion can be folded without removing the pad and cover and. with a minimum of stretching or move.- ment thereof. This relatively small amount of stretching can easily be accommodated by conventional cover constructions so that no removal of the cover is necessary for folding and so that a continuous cover can be em ployed to provide a smooth continuous surface when the corner portion is in its extended position.

With the corner portion folded the board terminates at its free end in a relatively narrow tapered portion over which tubular articles can be slipped for ironing or over which irregular articles such as shoulders can be fitted. it will be noted that with the corner portion folded the thickness of the tapered end of the board is not substantially greater than that of the remainder of the board so that the articles can be handled easily and can be slipped over the end of the board without interference.

It will furthermore. be observed that with the present construction the board can be changed easily and quickly from a relatively large rectangular board to a relatively small tapered end structure simply by manipulating the latch plate 27 through the finger piece 32 and folding the corner portion when necessary. While this board construction can be used advantageously with any desired type of hand iron, it is particularly advantageous with supported iron structures of the type shown in my Patents Nos. 1,985,891, and 2,369,732, and others.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that this is illustrative only and is not definitive of the scope of the of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An ironing board comprising an elongated fiat board generally rectangular in outline, one corner portion of the board being separated from the remainder along a straight line at an acute angle to the length of the boardintersecting one side of the board intermediate its ends and adjacent to one end and intersecting said one end intermediate the sides of the board, a hinge connecting the corner portion to the remainder of the board along the line of separation for movement from an extended position in the plane of the remainder of the board to a folded position beneath and substantially parallel to the remainder of the board, said hinge lying on the underside of the board and corner portion so that when the corner portion is folded under the board will have a tapered end, latch means to hold the corner portion in its extended and folded positions and means supporting said board from a point adjacent its other end with said one end thereof free.

2. An ironing board comprising an elongated flat board generally rectangular in outline, one corner portion of the board being separated from the remainder along a straight line at an acute angle to the length of the board interesecting one side of the board intermediate its ends and adjacent to one end and intersecting said one end intermediate the sides of the board, a hinge connecting the corner portion to the remainder of the board for movement from an extended position in the plane of the remainder of the board to a folded position beneath and substantially parallel to the remainder of the board, a latch bar extending across the hinge line at substantially a right angle thereto, means connecting the opposite ends of the latch bar to the corner portion and the remainder of the board, one of the connections being pivotal and the other being longitudinally slidable and a latch to connect the central part of the latch bar beneath and closely adjacent to the board when the corner portion is in its extended position.

3. An ironing board comprising an elongated flat board generally rectangular in outline, one corner portion of the board being separated from the remainder along a straight line at an acute angle to the length of the board intersecting one side of the board intermediate its ends and adjacent to one end and intersecting said one end intermediate the sides of the board, a hinge connecting the corner portion to the remainder of the board for movement from an extended position in the plane of the remainder of the board to a folded position beneath and substantially parallel to the remainder of the board, a latch bar extending across the hinge line at substantially a right angle thereto, means connecting the opposite ends of the latch bar to the corner portion and the remainder of the board, one of the connections being pivotal and the other being longitudinally slidable, a latch to connect the central part of the latch bar beneath and closely adjacent to the board when the corner portion is in its extended position, and cooperating latch parts on the corner portion and the remainder of the board to hold the corner portion in its folded position.

4. An ironing board comprising an elongated flat board generally rectangular in outline, one corner portion of the board being separated from the remainder along a straight line at an acute angle to the length of the board intersecting one side of the board intermediate its ends and adjacent to one end and intersecting said one end intermediate the sides of the board, a hinge closely adjacent to the board upper surface connecting the corner portion to the remainder of the board along the line of separation for movement from an extended position in the plane of the remainder of the board to a folded posi tion underlying and substantially parallel to the remainder of the board, said hinge lying on the underside of the board and corner portion so that when the corner portion is folded under the board will have a tapered end, a continuous unitary cover extending over the board and the corner portion, the cover being foldable with the corner portion to its extended and folded positions, and latch means to hold the corner portion in its extended and folded positions and means supporting said board from a point adjacent its other end with said one end thereof free.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

